Name: Pollo en Crema (Creamy Chicken)
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 30 min
Ingredients: 2 tablespoons Olive Oil; 4 bone-in chicken thighs; Salt and Pepper; 2 tablespoons butter; ¼ onion (diced); 1 8- ounce container of sliced mushrooms; 1 garlic clove (finely minced); 1 teaspoon Knorr Selects® Granulated Chicken Flavor Bouillon; 1 cup heavy whipping cream (or crema mexicana); 2 chipotle peppers in adobo (finely minced)

For a stress-free weeknight dinner, Pollo en Crema satisfies like nothing else. Tender and juicy chicken combined with a heavenly mushroom sauce. It’s a cozy wholesome meal.

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Pollo en crema served in a decorative Mexican clay plate.

Pollo en Crema (or Creamy Chicken) is a favorite dish at my house.

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Creamy is dreamy! The sauce is rich and so good.

What I love most about this recipe is that it’s ready in under 30 minutes. Perfect for a busy weeknight.

Served with flour tortillas. Simply delicious!

Table of Contents

1 Ingredients
2 The Name Game
3 Instructions
4 Pro Tips
5 More Mexican Cream Sauces:
6 Hungry for More?
7 Pollo en Crema (Creamy Chicken)

Ingredients

Chicken thighs, chicken breasts, or any cut of chicken work for this recipe.
Olive Oil or any oil of your preference.
Butter – You can use all butter and no oil. In that case, you will need half a stick of butter. 2 tablespoon to sear the chicken and 2 tablespoon for the sauce.
Onion and garlic
Mushrooms – These are white mushrooms, but you can very well use cremini mushrooms or baby portobello.
Chipotle in Adobo Sauce – or use red pepper flakes to make it less spicy.
Mexican Crema, sour cream, or heavy cream are good options here.
Chicken Bouillon – This is a popular ingredient in the Mexican cuisine. Swap out for more salt.
Salt and pepper

The Name Game

This recipe has many names including “Pollo con Crema,” “Pollo a la Crema,” and “Pollo Encremado.” Or as it is being called here, “Pollo en Crema.”

It’s also is great example of how Mexican food does not always mean spicy food.

Instructions

A collage showing how to cook chicken thighs.

Start by adding salt and pepper to the chicken.
Then searing it in a skillet on medium-high heat.

Tender chicken thighs are more flavorful. Once it is brown on one side, turn the chicken and sear on the other side.

Turning the chicken too early will tear the skin. Give it the time it needs to sear well.

Then remove the chicken. It will not be fully cooked. It’ll finish cooking later.

Another family favorite is Parmesan Oven Fried Chicken.

A collage showing how to cook the onion and mushrooms in a skillet.

Remove the chicken from the pan, and adjust to medium-low heat.
Melt butter and add onion. Cook for 1 minute.
Add the mushrooms and garlic. Cook for 4-5 minutes.

Do you see that golden color? That means flavor.

It may look dry at first, but the mushrooms will give off liquid, releasing the juices on the bottom of the skillet.

This sauce is similar (but not as spicy) as Spicy Chicken Chipotle Pasta.

A collage showing how to make the cream sauce and when to add the chicken.

Add the cream, chipotle, and chicken bouillon. Mix.
Then return the chicken pieces to the skillet.
Stir everything to combine. Cover and cook for 5 minutes, or until the chicken is fully cooked.

If the chicken is not cooked after 5 minutes, add ½ cup of chicken broth. Cover and continue cooking for an additional 5 minutes.

Pro Tips

You can also pour ¼ cup of water to the skillet. If you decide to add water, just know that the cream sauce will be more thin and not as thick.
You can use heavy whipping cream, Mexican crema, or crema agria (sour cream).
If you use milk, try using cornstarch diluted in water to thicken up the sauce.
Be sure to scrape down the sides of the skillet, and don’t forget to taste for salt.
Herbs you can add to give it more flavor – tarragon, basil, thyme, or parsley.

More Mexican Cream Sauces:

Tell me this Pollo en Crema doesn’t look fantastic! To make it a hearty meal, serve with a side of Arroz Blanco, Refried Beans, and warm tortillas. Buen provecho!